Little Wonders
by riptocs
Summary: A songfic series that form a storyline about a stranger that meets the Kenshingumi. Read and enjoy!


**This is a series of songfics featuring an additional storyline to the story of Rurouni Kenshin. How this is suppose to work: You listen to said music (you can find most of it on you tube) and incorporate the tunes into what you are about to read and I will provide lyrics to help you keep track of where you are. Think of this as a music video except in writing.**

**As a reminder, I do not own the characters of Rurouni Kenshin except the ones I created and I do not own any of the songs featured in these fics.**

**The first chapter is supposed to be the "theme song" to the series, representing it as a whole. Sit back and enjoy ^^…and try not to flame me too bad for any angst, lemon, or fluff.**

Chapter One: Little Wonders by Rob Thomas

A man with red hair and a sword by his side steps over the hill with two buckets of tofu hanging from a staff supported by his shoulders. He is laughing at the antics of his friends, a short but handsome spiky-haired boy whom is running circles around him in hope of escaping from the wrath of Kaoru-dono's bokken. His laughter is short lived, as always, when his eyes glaze over and he contemplates his past.

A nudge from his companion jerks him back to reality and makes him smile; now he knows he has people that care about him. He is able to push back the memories for the time being and enjoy the moment as one should.

_Let it go,_

He lets out an innocent smile as he drops the tofu when he gets pushed off balance by Yahiko.

_Let it roll right off your shoulder._

He rises and picks up the buckets again and sighs at them, exasperated yet happy they were enjoying the day.

_Don't you know,_

He took the time to walk ahead of them, hoping to be able to get lunch going before they got back to the dojo. 'Won't Kaoru-dono be surprised,' he thought. He only got a few steps away, though, before Kaoru yelled at him that he wasn't getting away from her that easily.

_The hardest part is over?_

He couldn't help by smile again, remembering how relentlessly she had followed him when he went after Shishio.

_Let it in,_

He knew there was no reason to be afraid for her now as there were no evil warlords out to conquer Japan and such.

_Let your clarity define you._

But as always, he couldn't help but worry for her safety. Her and the rest of the people he cared about.

_In the end,_

He paused, waiting for his beloved Kaoru-dono to catch up and let her see the grin on his face. He would never leave her again.

_We will only just remember how it feels._

The scene changes to Sanosuke sitting at the Akabeko, sipping sake.

_Our lives are made,_

He stood up and left, leaving Tae chasing after him because he "forgot" to pay his bill again. His hair shines in the sunlight as he sprints down the street.

_In these small hours._

He runs into Kenshin and they both go tumbling to the ground, tofu buckets upturned and on the pair's heads.

_These little wonders,_

Kaoru and Yahiko pause their squabbling and laugh hysterically at the pair.

_These twists and turns of fate._

Sano removes the bucket first and glares at Kaoru for laughing, then sees Kenshin and laughs as well.

_Time falls away,_

Kenshin finally removes the bucket and gives an "oro" that sends everyone laughing again.

_But these small hours,_

Kenshin grins and Sano offers him a hand.

_These small hours,_

He closes his eyes and takes the offered hand.

_Still remain._

The scene changes to a cabin in the woods where a tall man with short, red hair is bandaging a young boy's leg. The boy looks at him with shining blue eyes that show up against his pale face. The man grins and takes a piece of grass out of the boy's hair before ruffling it then they both end up in a giggling mess.

_Let it slide,_

Takuma carried Natsuo on his back in silence while the boy watched the road go by as they walked over a bridge. The man smiled, thinking about his past and regrets.

_Let your troubles fall behind you._

He stopped thinking when Natsuo tugged on his hair, urging him to glance to the side at the sight of a waterfall crashing over the distant cliffs.

_Let it shine,_

Takuma let the boy down and he limped to the side of the bridge and leaned on the railing to get a better look. The man figured there were many things in life Natsuo had yet to see, having been cooped up at home for most of his life.

_Until you feel it all around you._

He wouldn't let that happen any longer, he decided, illness or not. He would show Natsuo the world as well as the way of the sword.

_And I don't mind,_

Takuma put his hand on the boy's shoulder, signaling it was time to keep moving. Natsuo adamantly refused to be carried anymore and his eyes glowed in his determination. The man smiled and allowed him to walk.

_If it's me you need to turn to._

He walked slowly, uncaring of the destination and to allow his student to keep up with his injured leg.

_We'll get by,_

Half an hour later, the boy was on Takuma's back again, fast asleep. The large man didn't mind, the boy weighed less than a sack of rice half his size. He thought ahead of the task ahead of him, raising this boy as his own.

_It's the heart that really matters,_

He paused as Natsuo stirred, ready to fight off any nightmares the boy might have had.

_In the end._

When the boy doesn't wake up, Takuma just keeps walking.

_Our lives are made,_

The scene changes back to Kenshin's group whom are eating dinner at the dojo.

_In these small hours._

Yahiko and Sano glare at each other and both reach for the same last piece of food.

_These little wonders,_

Sano hits the boy on the head with his fist and takes the piece for himself.

_These twists and turns of fate._

Yahiko starts yelling at Sano while the man ignores him.

_Time falls away,_

They both stop arguing and look across the table when Kenshin interrupts them, playing peacekeeper as always.

_But these small hours,_

Kaoru looks at Kenshin lovingly, for once not turning her wrath on the two free-loaders. She admires his way with people not for the first time.

_These small hours,_

Kenshin sighs as the two stop bickering then turns back to his wife, gazing into her eyes as if seeing right through her tomboyish manner.

_Still remain._

The two kiss.

_All of my regret,_

Takuma blocks a blow from his student's katana, the two swords clash together with a clang that fills the air.

_Will wash away somehow._

The man grins as the boy tries again, letting him think he is catching his master off guard to raise his confidence.

_But I cannot forget,_

The boy eventually scores a small hit, striking his master's leg with the dull sword.

_The way I feel right now,_

But Takuma raised his red black cloak to reveal that the blow didn't have enough power to even pierce his leather armor.

_In these small hours._

The boy's face fell for a moment until the man approached him and gave him a congratulatory pat on the back for getting his first blow in on his master.

_These little wonders,_

Natsuo gave a toothy grin and swung his katana over his shoulder, then almost tipped over because he lost his balance.

_These twists and turns of fate,_

Takuma couldn't help but smile, taking note on how far the boy had come since he found him.

_Yeah, these twists and turns of fate!_

He certainly wasn't expecting another surprise blow from his student; thankfully he was able to block with his own katana just in time.

_Time falls away,_

The man couldn't help but notice Natsuo's smirk. He would have to take care not to ever underestimate the boy.

_Yeah, but these small hours,_

The scene changes and Kenshin is walking into town with Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko to buy more food because they spilled the tofu on their last trip.

_And these small hours,_

Takuma is strutting along the road as well with Natsuo not far behind. The boy's leg had healed and as far as he could tell there was no remaining soreness.

_Still remain, yeah._

Yahiko somehow manages to make Kaoru angry again and gets chased around by the crazy girl with a bokken.

_Ooh, they still remain._

Natsuo sees a town ahead and decides he'd run ahead of his master as he sometimes does.

_These little wonders,_

Chaos ensues as Yahiko runs right into the boy, knocking them both down to the ground.

_Oh these twists and turns of fate._

Takuma approaches, hearing the yells of his pupil. Kenshin hastily tries to apologize for the mishap.

_Time falls away,_

Takuma glares at them and shoves Natsuo behind him, wary of the familiar stranger.

_But these small hours,_

Kenshin pushes Kaoru behind him while Sano and Yahiko get worked up for a fight.

_These little wonders,_

They eye each other carefully, waiting for each other to make the first move.

_Still remain._

And they both draw their swords.


End file.
